Authors: C.Y. Dillon
It's all interpretation. A lie.
Harmonia swallows and breathes like a bull ready to charge.
CHIEKO
Cut the crap, drama queen. You're
scared to let yourself love again.
So is he.
HARMONIA
That's no excuse to lie. I admitted
I was scared, a long time ago. He
kept pretending.
CHIEKO
You're lying right now.
HARMONIA
How am I lying?
CHIEKO
You said you could forgive him
anything.
Harmonia takes this in.
HARMONIA
Yes I said that. And I won't.
CHIEKO
So you're full of shit. Why would I
want you?
Chieko walks away. Harmonia watches her go.
HARMONIA
Exactly. Why would anyone?
Mike passes Chieko and joins Harmonia.
HARMONIA
Leave me alone.
She walks away.
INT. HARMONIA'S CABIN G319 - DAY
Harmonia hugs the pillow.
HARMONIA'S FANTASY:
EXT. WOODS - DAY
OLD HARMONIA wanders alone. Something moves toward her. She glimpses a mountain lion and stands still. The cry of the mountain lion fills the forest. She holds up her hands, in which she clutches raw bacon. She closes her eyes and surrenders to being mauled to death.
END FANTASY
BACK TO HARMONIA'S CABIN G319
Eyes closed, a tear streams down her temple.
EXT. PORT OF NEW ORLEANS - DAY
The Delta Queen docks at the port. Passengers disembark
with their luggage. The Captain bids them farewell.
Harmonia approaches the Captain.
CAPTAIN
Best wishes to you, Miss Theakos.
She wheels her luggage past him.
Chieko presses through the crowd and catches Harmonia.
CHIEKO
That's how you are? Leave, not a
word?
Harmonia keeps walking.
CHIEKO
Your choice.
Harmonia turns.
HARMONIA
No, Chieko. It's not my choice. I
wasn't given a choice. Nobody is.
There's no free will. We're born
the way we are. We're machines.
Life is one big illusion. Tell me
it isn't.
She walks away.
CHIEKO
We don't need a friend?
Harmonia keeps walking.
Orion comes along behind Chieko.
ORION
Worse than I expected.
Chieko looks at him with scorn.
CHIEKO
Really bad decision. You're the
only one who can clean up this mess.
Orion watches Harmonia walk into a liquor store.
INT. LIQUOR STORE - MOMENTS LATER
Harmonia pays for a bottle of peppermint liqueur at the counter. Orion comes up behind her with a box of hot cocoa
and a can of whipped cream.
ORION
You forgot something.
Harmonia takes the paper bag and walks out. He leaves the
stuff on the counter and follows her.
ORION
We have to talk.
HARMONIA
About what?
She walks toward a coffee shop.
ORION
Us.
HARMONIA
I don't know who you are. The man I
fell in love with couldn't do what
you did.
ORION
Friends forever?
Harmonia stops and hangs her head.
HARMONIA
Ri.
He takes the paper bag from her.
ORION
This isn't what you need.
HARMONIA
What do you think I need?
He sets the bag down.
ORION
You need what every human being needs.
HARMONIA
Love? What is love?
ORION
A friend.
She looks at him, hurt.
HARMONIA
Friends trust each other. Friends
don't let friends spend two thousand
dollars on a special birthday present
and then twist it into an ugly prank.
ORION
I didn't ask for anything.
HARMONIA
That's right. You didn't need
anything more than chit-chat on the
phone. As long as I was happy when
you called, that's all you needed.
I needed to touch you, smell you--
ORION
I understand.
HARMONIA
It's too late. You've gone too far.
ORION
The unforgivable?
HARMONIA
Yes.
ORION
You never told me yours.
She stares at her toes.
HARMONIA
You're looking at it.
She spreads her toes. He looks at her toes. She squeezes
them together, wiggles them.
ORION
What am I supposed to see?
HARMONIA
I'm a flake, Ri. I say one thing
and do another. I can wiggle out of
anything. No vow, no piece of paper,
no amount of gold can hold me. I'm
going break your heart.
ORION
I'd like to decide what risks I have
the courage to take.
She picks up the paper bag. She looks at him.
He reaches to wrap his arms around her waist. She flinches, but lets him.
HARMONIA
You scare me.
He pulls her close and kisses her forehead.
ORION
You scare me.
He guides her toward a line of taxis with his arm around her shoulder. She drops the paper bag in a dumpster.
TITLE ON BLACK: "PAIR OF QUEENS"
INT. CHIEKO'S CABIN G339 - FLASHBACK
Chieko and Harmonia lay in each other's arms, fully clothed. Peace in their faces and bodies.
CHIEKO
If I never taste it again, I would
not miss it.
HARMONIA
I would.
CHIEKO
You would.
HARMONIA
I like the exotic, pungent flavor.
Especially the blend, both juices,
mingled.
CHIEKO
You lick your lips afterward and can
still taste it.
HARMONIA
Nothing else has that flavor. Like
cilantro - I would miss that.
CHIEKO
I would miss cilantro.
HARMONIA
And the feel of a man.
CHIEKO
The texture.
HARMONIA
Yes. The skin is different. Whether
it is hairy or not, a man's skin is
different.
CHIEKO
Even if he is thin, small, there is
still something distinctly masculine.
HARMONIA
Yes. I like masculinity. It's not
the same when a woman acts masculine.
CHIEKO
We definitely could not be gay, not
even for each other.
HARMONIA
We'd make a lovely sandwich, with
Orion between us.
CHIEKO
Double the meat, my Orion, too.
HARMONIA
Mmm, men. Yummy men.
FADE OUT
TITLE ON BLACK: "ACE, QUEEN HIGH"
HARMONIA'S FANTASY:
INT. CASINO
Harmonia loses her last chip at a Blackjack table.
Fantasy Orion appears at her side, he's in a wheelchair. He
places a chip on the table in front of her.
FANTASY ORION
Don't give up on yourself.
The dealer deals. The Ace of Hearts is showing. She looks
at the face-down card. It's the Queen of Hearts.
Fantasy Orion squeezes her hand. They smile at each other.
END FLASH FORWARD
BACK TO PORT OF NEW ORLEANS - PRESENT DAY
Orion guides Harmonia toward a limo parked near the line of
taxis. Behind them, Chieko watches while passengers disembark
from the Delta Queen.
Mike joins Chieko. Together, they watch Orion and Harmonia.
A chauffeur opens the door to the limo.
INT. LIMOUSINE - DAY
DAVIS sits in the back seat. A folded wheelchair is strapped to the side. He looks about the same age as Harmonia.
Harmonia sees the familiar face and reacts -- it's "Fantasy Orion" -- the man she expected to meet in the first place.
ORION
(to Harmonia)
I'd like you to meet my brother.
DAVIS
Hello Harmonia.
He reaches to help her inside the limo.
HARMONIA
Hi. My goodness, you're strong.